Report to/Rapport au :
Agriculture and Rural
Affairs Committee
Comité sur l’agriculture et les questions
rurales
and Council/et au Conseil
25 September 2008 / le 25 septembre 2008
Submitted
by/Soumis par : Councillor Jan Harder
Contact
Person/Personne ressource : Councillor/Conseillère Jan Harder
613-580-2473,
jan.harder@ottawa.ca
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Ref N°:
ACS2008-CCS-ARA-0006 |
|
SUBJECT: |
4497 O' Keefe Court
– connection to existing water connections |
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|
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OBJET : |
4497, cour O’Keefe – raccordement aux branchements
d’eau actuels |
REPORT RECOMMENDATIONS
That the
Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee recommend Council approve a connection
to City water for Fire Security purposes at 4497 O’Keefe Court.
RECOMMANDATION DU RAPPORT
Que le Comité de
l’agriculture et des affaires rurales recommande au Conseil d’approuver un
raccordement au réseau d’aqueduc de la Ville aux fins de la sécurité-incendie
du 4497, cour O’Keefe.
BACKGROUND
At the Planning
and Environment Committee (PEC) and Council, permitted a zoning and official
plan amendment for this property in April 2007. The property is a 6.9-hectare parcel of land located at the
North-East corner of Highway 416 and O’Keefe Court, north of Fallowfield Road.
The site is at a gateway location into the City and the South Urban Community
and was formerly part of a larger quarry prior to the construction of Highway
416. Given the site’s prominent
location and visibility, the nearby communities were adamant that careful
consideration be given to the permitted use and look of this gateway. The applicants wanted to redevelop it to
accommodate industrial and commercial uses appropriate to the rural designation
of the site, but catering also to the nearby urban market.
Servicing
Preliminary
investigations conducted by the applicant’s consultants demonstrated that
ground water is available and the soil conditions can support private septic
systems. Detailed Hydrogeological and Geotechnical Studies have been provided.
The original application sought to connect the site to the City water supply,
however, due to the site being located outside of the Public Service Area, this
request was deferred and now is the time to pursue a fire security connection
only. The applicant is content to
continue on with wells and septic.
Summary
Throughout the
rezoning and OPA process, the Community was clear that it wanted a high-end
commercial/retail product. In order to
attract this type of business to this location it is paramount that businesses
have access to a fire sprinkler system and that is why this item is brought to
the attention of ARAC.
The main issues
at the time could be summarized as follows:
The use of this
parcel for commercial use is strongly opposed because it borders a rural
country lot estate development and Prestige Business Park. The gateway function
of the lands to the south is clearly documented in the Secondary Plan for Areas
9 and 10. Use of this site for
commercial uses will “establish a downgraded development precedent for the
Prestige Business Park lands” and create traffic conditions for a local road,
and rural neighbourhood road.
CONSULTATION
Planning, Transit and the Environment
While Planning Transit and the Environment staff wish to encourage a high quality development worthy of this gateway location, the proposal to extend water services on the property contravenes policies of the City Official Plan. The Plan makes a clear distinction between those areas inside the Public Service Area and those outside. Sites within the Public Service Area must be developed on the basis of public water and wastewater, while those outside must be developed on the basis of private services. Policy 2.2.2 of the Plan specifically notes that areas adjacent to public water and waste water services, but outside of any defined Public Service Areas, are not permitted to connect to public services. The Plan acknowledges that the Public Service Area generally consists of areas within the designated urban boundary and certain villages along with any other specific areas defined in the Infrastructure Master Plan. Staff consider it appropriate for the developer to install fire hydrants along O’Keefe Court to enhance fire protection to this site. Indeed the watermain already exists across the frontage of the property in question. However, the extension of water services on to the private property, even if it is limited to fire hydrants and sprinklers, clearly contravenes the Official Plan.
Staff are of the view, that in order to extend water services on site, either an Official Plan Amendment is required or the Infrastructure Master Plan must be revised to recognize the subject property as part of the Public Service Area for fire suppression purposes. A revision to the Infrastructure Master Plan is a more expeditious means of accommodating the proposal. If this approach is to be utilized, Council should be satisfied that this situation is unique, because there are many other rural industrial and commercial sites that could benefit from on-site fire suppression. From a technical perspective, the provision of on-site fire hydrants and sprinklers could create water quality problems in the private pipes that could propagate to the central system unless precautions are taken. Planning Transit and Environment Staff have confidence that such measures can be developed in consultation with Drinking Water Services and would endeavour to do so as part of the site plan approval process in the event that Council directs an amendment to the Infrastructure Master Plan.
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
There
are no financial encumbrances arising from this proposal, as the Owner will
bear the cost of extending hydrants on site as part of the site plan
application.
SUPPORTING
DOCUMENTATION
Document 1 Location Map
Document 2 Servicing Map
Document 3 Official Plan and
Zoning – 4497 O’Keefe Court (ACS2007-PTE-APR-0014) held on file with the
City Clerk
DISPOSITION
Planning Transit and the Environment Department to implement Council's
direction in considering the site plan application at 4497 O'Keefe Ct.
LOCATION MAP DOCUMENT 1 
SERVICING MAP DOCUMENT 2
